The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed its women's football team head coach Bev Priestman from the Games following the drone spying scandal involving New Zealand.
It has now emerged there may have been drone use against opponents predating the Paris Olympics.
In a statement the COC said they have removed Priestman from the Olympic team following her suspension by Canada Soccer and that assistant coach Andy Spence would lead the team for the rest of the Games.
Two other members of the coaching team have already been sent home after two incidents of drone use over New Zealand training came to light.
Canada Soccer chief executive and general secretary Kevin Blue released the following statement:
“Over the past 24 hours, additional information has come to our attention regarding previous drone use against opponents, predating the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In light of these new revelations, Canada Soccer has made the decision to suspend women’s national team head coach, Bev Priestman for the remainder of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and until the completion of our recently announced independent external review.”
Canada beat the Football Ferns this morning 2-1 in the wake of the scandal, which came to light after New Zealand saw a drone hovering during a training session in Saint-Étienne. An earlier incident also came to light.
As a result, Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, has been sent home, as well as Jasmine Mander, an assistant coach.
Lombardi was charged with maintaining an unmanned aircraft over a prohibited area and accepted an eight-month suspended sentence.
Priestman removed herself from involvement in the New Zealand match, but sporting authorities have gone further as the scandal develops.
The NZ Olympic Committee said NZ Football are looking to urgently expedite the matter through the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
The NZ chef de mission Nigel Avery said earlier he was very disappointed, and it had been "really unsettling" for the Football Ferns.
'Straight up embarrassing': Football Ferns on drone scandal
Defending Olympic champions Canada have beaten New Zealand 2-1 as an investigation into their use of a drone at the Ferns' training on two occasions continues.
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Canada analyst gets suspended jail sentence over NZ drone scandal
Two staff members — Canada's assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi — have been kicked out of the Olympic squad.
Thursday 6:41am
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Football Ferns lose opening match of Olympics despite leading early
Mackenzie Barry put the Ferns in front in the 13th minute from a corner but Canada came from behind to win.
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Team captain Katie Bowen, speaking after today's loss, said there was no ill-will towards Canada's players, but the spying was "straight up cheating and embarrassing".
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